GP2 Series 2014 season calendar unveiled

Tenth season made of eleven rounds including two new venues.

The GP2 Series organisers have revealed their 2014 calendar today which once again will consist of eleven rounds in total, all support events of the official Formula OneTM World Championship. Eight rounds will be held in Europe with three overseas events to complete the calendar, including Sochi in Russia.

The tenth season of the GP2 Series will open in Sakhir on April 04-06 alongside the Formula One Grand Prix. The paddock will then proceed to Europe with its first stop in Barcelona on May 09-11 before going to Monte Carlo two weeks later. After a three week break, the action will resume on June 20-22 in Spielberg which will mark the first time the Series will race in Austria. Silverstone is next on July 04-06 followed by Hockenheim two weeks later, with Budapest back-to-back to close a very busy month of July.

After the summer break, the Series will pick-up in Spa-Francorchamps on August 22-24 followed by the Italian round in Monza two weeks later. There will be another break as GP2 makes its way to Sochi in Russia for the very first time in its history on October 10-12. Finally, the 2014 season will be wrapped up for the second year in a row in Yas Marina.

GP2 Series CEO Bruno Michel commented: “2014 will consist of eleven rounds, all of them on F1 tracks in front of the F1 paddock and on F1 tyres. In our effort to cut freight costs, we have decided to keep the same number of events as we did last season and to only maintain Sakhir and Yas Marina as overseas rounds; each opening and closing our season. I am delighted to add Sochi to our calendar as well: this is another prestigious Formula One circuit which our drivers will be able to learn. Our European season now also includes Spielberg: it will be the first time that GP2 goes to Austria, another F1 venue.

“In addition to these eleven rounds, we have decided to organise our two pre-season test sessions, firstly in Yas Marina and then in Sakhir, with the season opener in Bahrain two weeks later. This is in order to keep down the costs, but also to test on F1 circuits where two events will take place, as well as enjoying great weather for testing.

“2014 will be our tenth season and we’ll see once again thirteen teams competing for the title and twenty-six drivers whose only goal is to showcase their skills and impress the rest of the Formula One world.”